Standing by her allegation

   Kelly Summerlin, the woman who accused Kansas attorney general candidate Paul Morrison of sexual harassment in 1991, issued a statement Friday about the incident. In it, she stands by her account of the alleged harassment and accuses Morrison of releasing "misleading and false information." Here's the release.

Posted by Kirk Weber

UPDATE: Here's Jim Sullinger's story in The Star Saturday.

Comments

[AlanAckerman]

WOW! Morrison is a sleazeball and he's dust.

[Ablong]

I know the Star is in the tank for Morrison but they are going to have to report this one. Simply Amazing.

[Karl]

Why did this get released at 7 p.m on a Friday???

[John Conaghan]

Kelly Summerlin gets my vote for sainthood!

[KS Meadowlark]

Are the KC Star and Wichita Eagle having a "tag team" attack on Kline?
http://blogs.kansas.com/weblog/2006/10/expanded_kline_.html#comments

The Eagle did quote Phill Kline correctly "I'm not" but what was the question? Listen to the video: "Are you intending to use this?" What does the word "intending" me? Do news reporters understand how dynamic a political campaign is?

The Kansas Press thinks it's so terrible that Kline brings up this issue about Morrison, but what about the even older case Morrison is using against Bryan Brown, Kline's "convict" (according to Morrison) who is serving as Director of Consumer Protection? When has the press reported that dozens and dozens of Kansas clergy were also arrested in protests at abortion clinics like Brown, which is the "crime" Brown committed?

Morrison is allowed to attack Kline for an old case, but Kline is not allowed to adjust strategy even if he did not intend to attack Morrison about Summerlin?

The Kansas Press is showing how truly biased they are. The Wichita Eagle cannot even find the story about Tiller's ProKanDo PAC sharing a Wichita address with the "non-profit" group sending out "educational" Snoop Dog political pieces against Kline. (see http://www.kansasmeadowlark.com/2006/10-23/index.htm )

Why did it take the Lawrence Journal World to find this Wichita story? And even after the story was reported, the Eagle then publishes only this AP story, http://www.kansas.com/mld/kansas/news/state/15857818.htm: "TV, radio spots pulled; mailing linked to Tiller" [The Star's version of this AP story is here: http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascity/news/local/15857818.htm]

Look at this quote: "Anti-abortion activists have suspected that the group is tied to Tiller, who donated $153,000 to ProKanDo, an abortion rights PAC, which then spent the same amount on radio ads against Kline four years ago as part of a larger campaign to elect abortion rights supporters."

Was $153,000 correct here? It's not even close yet the Kansas press IGNORES AND IGNORES facts that are not difficult to verify:

Kansans for Democratic Leadership formed on 10/14/2002

$40,000 from Tiller's ProKanDo PAC on 10/21/2002

$6,000 from George Tiller on 10/23/2002

$55,000 from ProKanDo on 10/28/2002

$10,000 from ProKanDo on 10/30/2002

$153,000 from ProKanDo on 11/4/2002

$1496.13 to Democratic Tallgrass Committee on 11/19/2002

Kansans for Democratic Leadership files termination report 1/10/2003

http://www.kansasmeadowlark.com/2006/10-03/2002.htm

Why is the $153,000 figure the only one reported?

There is a HUGE political story from 2002 that is ignored. There is a HUGE poltiical money story from 2004 that is ignored. Why does the Kansas Press ignore political money if it comes from an abortion doctor in Wichita?

Dr. Tiller has perfected the process now in his "Snoop Dog" piece by making this an "educational" piece sent by a "non profit" exempt from campaign finance reporting.

Why do we even have campaign finance laws if one guy in Wichta can spend as much as he wants to affect Kansas politics, and the press ignores the story?

[Thomas]

KS Meadowlark, don't be silly. Morrison's whole campaign, as far as I can tell, is premised on the idea that he won't enforce abortion laws against Tiller. There's a simple choice in Kansas: vote for Kline, who will enforce the law without fear or favor, or vote for Morrison, who's promised to never investigate the country's foremost late-term abortionist, the man who does the abortions that the abortionists in the rest of the country won't touch, the man who is the biggest financial supporter of his campaign.

So Kline says he isn't going to use this old case against Morrison and then he does. Looks like a disgruntled employee decided to get back at Morrison. If she had really been harrassed by Morrison, why not go through with her lawsuit? Her excuse is lame - and so was her allegation. Kline obviously saw this and rightly decided, at the time of the interview on that video, not to use the case in his campaign.

The fact that he changed his mind and is now playing dirty speaks volumes about Phill Kline.

Kudos to the usually right wing Wichita newspaper for posting this video.

Thomas, when has Morrison ever said or insinuated he won't enforce abortion laws against Tiller? Please post a link or some other evidence to support this claim.

[John Conaghan]

You ask "Where did Morrison insinuate...?" Try his very first announcement, which I wrote to the Star about below. Of course, the Star suppresses anything contra to its elitist opinion.

"The press jumps all over Attorney General Phill Kline's memo regarding talking to church groups as though these non-secular people are outside the mainstream. But the press gave Paul Morrison's memo on his strategy a free pass. You ask "what memo?" In the same announcement wherein he was switching parties, Morrison announced that he was pro-choice. Why? Because he had just come from visiting Kathleen Sebelius and learned fund raising 101: Follow the money! His strategy was concise. Cloak it in obscurity to the populace by inclusion in the bigger headline, knowing that it is clear to its intended audience: abortionist George Tiller, pro-abortion Planned Parenthood, ProKanDo, etc. Between them they will donate in excess of a half million dollars to democratic PACs to vote Morrison into office where he can turn a blind eye to rape and incest of minors so the abortion industry can flourish."

[Teller of Truth]

This race continues to be nothing except a fall-down drunk, (Morrisson) versus a psych-religious zealot (Kline)....I swear if I was forced to vote for either one of these lowlifes I'd request a cigarette and a blindfold and happily face a firing squad

[marie]

I don't know about the Morrison thing but I have to speak up about Dr Tiller.
Someone in my family had to go to his clinic for an abortion. One that they never wanted. The baby was developing with no brain at all and would die as soon as born because the of this defect. The couple did not find this out until the 6th month. They were heartbroken and she would have went crazy to carry the baby full term. We had to go thru the anti-abortion groups yelling at us every morning and that made the guilt that much harder on them. When you are out there protesting you don't know why someone is there....not the full story. There were about 6 other couples there at the same time with the same birth defects and I'm sure none wanted to be in that situation. Dr Tiller is not always just getting rid of unwanted babies, as some might think. Some are there because they have nowhere else to turn.
Also so sad that we had to go thru metal detectors everytime we went in the clinic and the doctor had to have a bodyguard because he had been shot before.
Maybe nothing to do with this but since his name was brought up I felt I had to respond.
Thank you

[John Conaghan]

There are a couple of things so ironic: one is mentioned above by Ks Meadowlark in that Morrison has poetic license to dredge up, out of antiquity, the Bryan Brown civil disobedience case, but Kline isn't supposed to reciprocate on a sexual harrassment case that smacks at Paul's character, especially after Paul's constant mantra that his office has not a "whiff" of scandal. I say "touche".

The other irony is a quote straight from Jim Sullinger's article in this morning's Star:

Asked about her statement, Morrison expressed anger that her allegations continued to receive attention.
“I’m not going to get in the gutter anymore with Phill Kline,” he said.

Notice that Paul is now expressing anger but no longer denial. So, now he's refusing to get in the gutter wih an opponent, but back then he didn't seem to mind trying to get in the pants of a subordinate.

[somewhere in the middle]

Usually the truth is somewhere in the middle... If half of what Morrision did and said is true then let the chips fall where they may.

Kudos to the woman that felt harassed, I applaud her speaking out on the story and helping to set the record straight for something that happened 15 years ago.

What was Kline doing back then??? or before? Since he's gone back to relive the past I wonder what creepy things he's done, (ugh...). What was that saying about he without sin casting the first stone???

The point is we've all done things we're not proud of past and present. The more I hear from Kline the more I don't trust him.

[Jeetz]

Let's look at the pattern here. First, the Kansas City Star endorses Paul Morrison. Morrison already believes he's an untouchable in Johnson County, and he'll crush anyone who gets in his way. Then the Star systematically filters out anything counter to their endorsement. Morrison begins to believe he is now an untouchable throughout the State of Kansas. Then he goes on a talk radio show and they question him and he threatens to crush them, too. Sounds like he has become even bigger than the Kansas City Star itself. I don't think the Star would even question him now. I believe they know they created a political monster and they are now afraid of him, too.

[John Conaghan]

Jeetz, well put. I'm pasting my earlier blog because it shows that this has always been Paul's persona but now he is emboldened by the biased press.

"Read Jim Sullinger's blog about Morrison skewing the facts about the dismissal. Why didn't the Star print it? Could it be because Morrison was speaking out of the side of his mouth? I've known this man since 2001 during the debacle at the Juvenile Intake and Assessment Center where his regime stomped on the constitutional rights of juveniles, some prepubescent. I would receive calls from distraught single mothers who felt intimidated by his demeanor from his bully pulpit. These were calls because their teenager may have been caught with alcohol or drugs. Paul would threaten them with more charges if they didn't accept diversion. One mom said that he went so far as to challenge her to even try to take him on. So, knowing how he treats women while sober, I question his character and credibility with a female subordinate while under the influence. Gee, wonder if Paul called a cab that night! I'm not trying to change your opinion of Phill Kline, just exposing Alpha Paul for what he is."

By the way, the part about the cab is not just tongue in cheek. Morrison is a guy who petitioned to have a person's third DUI become a felony. If he drove home that night, that is a scandal!

[Jeetz]

John,

I don't doubt a word you say. Kelly Summerlin has nothing to gain financially by sticking to her story, because of the legal agreement that appears to be binding. Apparently Morrison couldn't get a binding agreement to get her to disavow her self respect, too. As powerful as he is, I am surprised. If he wins the election he should not allow "talking" beer cans at his post-election party. When his beer gets talking it says some of the darndest things.

[Jeetz]

To all,

I wonder how many people in King Paul's Court got to use the "talking" beer defense. "But your honor it was the beer talking! I'm sorry my son but you are no Paul Morrison. So give it up."

[Jeetz]

For those who endorsed Paul Morrison,

Getting elected 101: from a former political science teacher

As a prosecutor, Morrison gets to participate in the selection of his jury for trial. He then gets to use his years of experience with human behavior to lead "those voters" to a verdict that is favorable to his case.

Outside of a Johnson County courtroom is different. The State of Kansas is a very large courtroom and winning over this "jury" is much more difficult. In this case, he doesn't get to choose his jury. It's already chosen for him. And these jurors don't have to come to him, he has to go to them.

He has no experience here and shows it. It's not about how good you are as a prosecutor, it's about winning an election. And he never had to work his tail off to win an election. It's always been given to him. Watch and learn.

The election moral? Never confuse voters with jurors, for you can't give instructions to voters.

I'm laughing my tail off because it must be frustrating for him when courtroom tactics backfire in the "court of public opinion."

[Flyonthewall]

Paul Morrison's juvenile division is on record as filing charges against minors on most every police report. Even for minor matters of mischief or horseplay where there is not even an aggrieved party. The offenders can still be years shy of their teens. However, in one case, on a much more serious matter against an older teen, where there was an aggreived party, our D.A.'s office drops the charges after a friend of the family, who happens to be with the FBI, intercedes.

Why the 180? Were the intimidators intimidated? Was it favoritism? Was it corruption, perhaps tantamount to a crime in and of itself? Unlike our local newspapers, I report, you decide.

[Jeetz]

By the way:

If Morrison was not attempting adultery with this woman, he should crush Kline with ads that request an apology much like Bush did with Kerry. Seen any requests from Morrison for an apology?

Read the press release, it changed my mind about Morrison. If you're a woman you should wonder... What is more likely to happen to you, an abortion or sexual harassment. By the way, the psychological report on sexual harassment is that its base is to show a subordinate that you can exert power over their life 24/7. Pretty sick, huh? I'd worry about the latter and Phill Kline will definitely be in your corner there.